John Smith

John Smith
The Artist

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Crystal Ball!

Many Artists I have spoken to just lately seem to be a little concerned and depressed at the state of the market. Perhaps this would be a good subject for my November 'Thoughts from my Studio' article? That is   " What does 2011 have in store for us?" Any of you want to guess?
I believe that things are going to be better next year than has been the case these last two years. Why? Well I believe that artists have been waiting for others to take the lead and make things better. Bad idea!. Now the wiser ones realise that no-one is going to make things better, only they. Some I have spoken to are now seriously looking at alternative ways of marketing, promoting, advertising etc. The Social Media is the one that beckons. Are galleries also looking at the possibilities that technology offers? I hope so! I'm sure they are.
This is what makes me hopeful and to believe that things will be better - people have come to realise that the only way is to 'grasp the nettle' and make things better for themselves rather than entrusting their future to fate.
I would like to hear how others feel about the future of the Arts Industry, starting from January next year?
Can we make things happen? Are we going to stick our heads in the sand as so many prefer to do? I'd like to know what others in the Arts Community believe.

7 comments:

Crystal Rassi said...

Hi John,

I love blogs where an invitation for comments is left open. In my view, the arts community won't change drastically in the beginning of 2011. I think by the end of the 2011, artists are going to become more self promoters and develop their own small businesses in art ventures like art tourism, or private art classes (online and in real time), or involving the general public in an art project of sorts....like you said - social media. Unfortunately I think this becomes a matter of art for survival, not art for art's sake. I hope I'm wrong.

John Smith said...

Thanks Crystal,
I think you may be correct. Perhaps starting with 'art for survival' the 'Art for Art's sake' will follow?
If you click on the pictures in my blog it will open and take you to my website. If you go to "Thoughts from my Studio" you can read more of my thinking on art generally. I'd be happy to include you on my mailing list if you wish.
I'll try and get a sense of what people believe the future of art to be in the short and medium term and then write an article on it for November.
It is so nice that you left your Thoughts. Thanks!

Nicole Pletts said...

I have tried to leave so many comments but, being blonde, can't remember what they were...

Hope this works?

Nicole Pletts said...

I have tried to leave so many comments but, being blonde, can't remember what they were...

Hope this works?

John Smith said...

Thanks for that Nicole...I found both of them :)

Crystal Rassi said...

Hi John,
Perhaps the arts for art's sake will follow the survival movement and that's not to say the what artists need to do for survival is bad, but I feel that I must do what I don't necessarily want to do so that I can atleast pay the bills. For instance, I may have to take on more commissions to make a living than paint what I actually enjoy to make a living. (I don't usually enjoy commissions). And perhaps I'm way off base and need not worry. Perhaps we as artist will come up with clever and fun art endeavors that will be as enjoyable as painting for the sake of painting.

In an economy like this I think the best and most creative break free from the constraints of the norm and I am actually excited about the future of the art world as we know it.

PS: I will have to decline your offer to include me in your mailing list only because I feel like artists newsletters are becoming more like facebook friend invites. The more I get, the less I open. I will however periodically pop into your blog and website because you have taken the time to converse with me.

Thanks for your thoughts.

John Smith said...

Hi Crystal, I have found that there is an audience out there, and among that number there are people who will like what you like. Rather than paint what you think is selling look for the gaps. Paint what people and galleries can't get rather than what everyone else is painting. It has always worked for me.
I too believe that things are cyclical and will return to normal in time. This is a good time to sharpen ones skills so as to take advantage when things start moving forward again.